Some of my best friends are about to have a baby, the due date only a few weeks away. I’m teary thinking about it as my excitement for her arrival exceeds the speed limit. They asked my opinion this week for getting their extended family immunized in light of the recent Whooping Cough (pertussis) outbreak in our area. I advised them that all teens and adults (including grandparents) need a Tdap shot before they are with the baby. Even pregnant women are getting immunized after 20 weeks gestation to protect their newborns at and after birth.
Ideally, everyone should have the Tdap shot at least 2 weeks before the baby arrives.
My friends advised their parents. But both grandmas were turned away–one here in the US and one abroad. Each were told by a physician that they didn’t need the Tdap shot because they were over 65 years of age.
That physician was wrong. Whooping Cough (pertussis) knows no age. And immunization recommendations for pertussis protection have changed this past year because of rising rates of infection and infant deaths.
The best way to protect a newborn baby from getting Whooping Cough is to cocoon them with family and friends who are immunized against it.
Here is an overview on protecting your family from Whooping Cough. <——Share this link with friends having new babies.
All grandparents, all adults, and all teens need a Tdap shot before holding a newborn baby.
Ask questions, please. And one more thing, can you suggest girl names? My friend is beside herself that they don’t have one picked out…I’ll buy you coffee if you suggest the name she chooses (hint: use a real email)
Ruth says
She can use my backup girl’s name if she likes it, since we’re not having any more – it was Elinor, Ellie for short.
Janna says
Keeley is a name of Irish origin, meaning beautiful girl.
Joanna says
Thanks for this post. I have two questions:
(1) My son will be starting daycare when he is 3.5 months old. What is the recommendation regarding the daycare providers and Tdap? Is the concern for younger babies or should I push for the staff to be immunized?
(2) My husband and I, and the local grandparents all got immunized. The baby will visit the out of town grandparents for the first time later this Spring (when he is approx 5 months old). Should we encourage them to be vaccinated?
As for the name choice for your friends, my two favorites are Emily and Annabel.
Thanks!
Joanna
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD says
Joanna,
Answers:
1) Yes! You should ask if the childcare center has an immunization policy. All staff/teachers should be up to date with Tdap. If there is no policy, YES, do your best to make one. Let me know if I can help.
2) YES.
Cara says
I just had my second baby boy, so I am full of unused baby girl name ideas! I vote for Molly Erin. Maybe because it’s St. Patrick’s Day? 🙂 I will go back to snuggling with 11 day old Liam Henry…after I call his Grandma and share the good news that she needs a shot. 🙂
paulette says
my son is 10 months old, when does it become less a risk? my mom was immunized recently, but she is is quite stressed about possible exposure.
and please pass on the name i had saved if my charlie was girl : penelope anne, poppy for short. i loooove having two boys, i feel beyond lucky, but sometimes seeing those heart-crushingly cute girly dresses and hearing the name penelope tug just a bit at my girl genes.
all my best to the soon-to-be parents!
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD says
Paulette,
Penelope was on my list, too. And I passed it onto them also. But we still get to share coffee (if at all possible) if they choose the name! Here’s to hoping…
In regards to risk from pertussis infections, serious risks including pauses in breathing and death diminish notably after 2 months of age, and again after 6 months of age. But that’s no reason to stop having teens and adults immunized. In general, teens and adults are the reservoir of illness and if we can get our communities immunized, the likelihood of an infant having a serious and/or life-threatening infections goes down dramatically.
Heather says
A couple of WC questions:
1. Were most people vaccinated for whooping cough as children? Specifically, if I was up-to-date on all my vaccinations as a child/teen, do I most likely have immunity? Is there a way to test?
2. I am 27 weeks pregnant. Can I get the vaccine as soon as I deliver or is it really best to do it while pregnant?
3. Is W.C. seasonal like the flu? (Baby is due June 11th)
Baby Girl Name Suggestions: Jocelyn (Jocie), Vivian (Vivi), Lucy, Louisa, or Gwendolyn. 🙂
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD says
Hi Heather,
1) Yes, most people were immunized against whooping cough as children. However, this issue is that immunity wanes. So no matter what shots you HAD, you need a Tdap once as an adult. The immunizations you had against pertussis may not be protecting you now.
2) It is now recommended that you get the immunization prior to delivery. But talk with your OB.
3) No, whooping cough isn’t as seasonal as influenza.
4) Love Gwendolyn—per report from my parents, it was almost my name….but they settled on Wendy.
Joy says
If the grandparents will be visiting our new baby for only a few days when the baby is one to two months old, should they be immunized. My Obstetrician said only people who will spend a “SIGNIFICANT” amount of time with my baby should be immunized. Thank you for your help.
Girl Baby names: Jancy Lynn, Carly Jo, Aviana, Amelia, Avonlea
P.S. I am desperately looking for boy names, nothing that be confused as a possible girl name.
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD says
Joy,
It’s recommended that ALL teens, ALL adults get Tdap. Not just those that have significant contact with newborns—it’s of course the reality that they are a higher risk though.
The idea of only immmunizing those with significant contact doesn’t make any sense. If a friend came over (who had whooping cough) and was there for only one visit (not significant contact), that could be enough to transmit the infection…
If it were my baby, I’d have all people around the baby immunized.
+1 to Amelia
Boy names that I loved but didn’t use: Hayden, Henry, Ogden, Landon, Tobin, and Penn
Claire says
This just in – both grandmas received their immunizations afar their doctors were made aware of the CDC update!
Awesomemom says
I got my shot in the hospital after the birth but never even thought of having grandparents getting a booster. Thankfully despite living in an area with a low immunization rate she had stayed healthy.
I love the more old fashioned names: Lily, Violet, Dorothy (Dot), Abigail (Abby), Diana
MamaC says
Dayton, Langley, Evelyn, Ida and Elinore were on my long girl’s name list.
Julie says
If your child is at a school or daycare or preschool where the exemption rate (rate at which people are choosing to NOT vaccinate) should your child get a booster earlier than the recommended schedule in case his or her immunity waned a bit earlier than expected? What rate would be alarming? I suppose this is mainly a concern for elementary school or high school but curious since so many schools don’t even know what their exemption rate is if it would be warranted to boost a child early? Hope my question makes sense!
Jessica says
I’m still holding out for a girl myself, but happy to share my favorite 2 names: Genevieve and Ariana. 🙂
Penelope says
How about Molly or Janice?
Megan says
Thanks for the info on Tdap. I’ll pass it along to my preschool teacher mom!
My favorite girl name is my daughters’ (I know I’m biased!): Shelby Marie. Other favorites are Julianne and Samantha.
Alexis says
Glad both grandparents were able to get immunized:)
As for girl names, I’ve already given C my recommendations of Anneka and Erin, but I’m throwing Naomi into the mix too.
smilegirl says
All our immediate family immunized 🙂
Some name ideas: Lily Grace, Delaney Morgan, Tess Abigal
Tristen says
Lots of nieces in my family so we are full of girl names! My favorite, very unique name is Alethia, or as my sister spelled it Alaethya (Ally). It means “pure and utter truth” in Greek. We also have Liliana (Lili).
Chris says
I loved the name of my husband’s maternal grandmother: Emeranda
Ruth says
Dr Swanson, as you may know we have had a whooping cough outbreak here in British Columbia, originally limited to the Fraser Valley but now spreading to the Vancouver region. A pregnant friend of mine asked her midwife about getting the TDAP vaccination for herself and her partner, and her midwife, who believes in doing things “naturally” (!), told her that “no vaccination is safe”.
As you can imagine, my friend was very angry but now feels that the burden has been put on her. I have contacted the health authority and got a list of all the places she can go to get the vaccination, so that’s not my main concern here – it’s the attitude of the midwife.
In my view she was not only unprofessional but unethical and I am considering whether she ought to be reported to the College of Midwives. I would welcome your view on this.
Rachel says
God, yes. She is a (supposedly) qualified healthcare provider receiving public healthcare dollars for her services – she should therefore follow all public health recommendations!
Laura says
A girl! Awww. Congrats to the parents-to-be! I am a blessed mom of boys, so I second Paulette’s comment about frilly dresses tugging on the pink side of our hearts. My dream name for a girl is Rachel. I’ve also adored Catherine (Kate for short) long before Prince William’s lovely bride made it popular. Other faves are Olivia, Jessica, Lauren, Lily, Sophia (Sophie), Emma, Paige, Taylor, Piper, Lydia, Natalie, Grace, Sarah, and Brooke. My mom’s always said consider how the name would look on a resume when your baby is 40 years old. Hope the delivery is smooth and pain-free!
Kimberly says
Thinking this is pretty clear that postpartum doulas should be getting a TDAP shot. I will pass this onto our team.
Have some great names from my moms group lately:
Amelie, Olive, Lang, Emmaline, Ruby, Addison, Lucia, Cosette (Cosy), and Abielle. If you are going for unique, Portlander’s have a lot of ideas.
Rosemary says
I am a grandma who will be spending a lot of time with my soon to be born grandson. I had the tdap in 2006. Do I need another one. My daughter in law thinks yes, because new moms are now required to get one after each delivery even if they are only a year apart.
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE says
You are not recommended to get another Tdap. Great that you had it in 2006! The only new recommendation for repeated Tdap boosters is for women during pregnancy. Here’s more info from the Centers for Disease Control website
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/pertussis/recs-summary.htm
And here’s link that will get you to the data:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/vacc-specific/tdap-td.html
Donna Rae says
My husband and I had the tdap booster just 4 yrs ago.
My son and his wife are due with their first child next month. We have been informed, that unless we ALL get another tdap shot, (states that her OB requires an additional tdap shot within the past year!!), that we will not be able to see our grandson. No where, anywhere, in NO place, can I find any sort of recommendation for REvaccination, for something we’ve already been vaccinated for.
With this logic, they will also require us to get a tdap in the event they have another baby in a year or two.
Their logic is that immunity wanes over time. Insurance won’t cover it, and my doctor would not give it as I’ve already had it. I’m at a stalemate here, knowing I won’t be able to see my grandchild, yet if I do find a manner to get this shot, I’ll still be resentful, as I have already received the vaccination!
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE says
current recommendations:
pregnant women get a Tdap during 3rd trimester of every pregnancy
Grandparents and family around them get it once (and currently no recommendations to repeat it)
https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregnant/mom/get-vaccinated.html
Nancy Shokoff says
My grand daughter was born today- that’s why I’m checking out whooping cough shot!!! Her name is Emma Leigh- my daughters are Nanci Lynn & Kelly Anne
Melissa says
So, essentially you’re saying that everyone needs to be vaccinated because the vaccines don’t really work. If they did, having the mother vaccinated at 20 weeks for the baby’s sake should keep baby safe from those around it who are not vaccinated.
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE says
Not saying that. But I am saying that vaccinations don’t work on every individual. Therefore we reduce the disease burden in a population having for the population immunized so that less people can spread disease. If a vaccination works 80% of the time like Tdap does, it means 1 in 5 people won’t respond and they are BETTER protected when more in the population, who do respond, have the vaccination and are less likely to spread disease.
Teresa says
My 4 year old granddaughter was just diagnosed with Pertussis and I’ve been exposed. I had a Dtp shot as a child and follow up tetanus shots, and really believe I had the follow up Tdap also, but can’t remember. Is it harmful to get another Tdap? Does it help to get the shot after already being exposed? How long are they contagious…or me for that matter, if I get another shot? I know this is an old article but can’t seem to find the info I need. Thank you for your time.
Teresa
Kathleen Allison says
If uve had a tetanus shot in the last 10 year’s am I covered for pertussis